Dog is Not Only Man's Best Friend
by Kiashi Goldbeak 501
Summary: pre-G1 but in the future. Human kind has extended their reach across their own galaxy, and now seek to set foot onto a new discovery bordering their home: a mecanical planet. Who or what can they send there first? T for now. -Ka


**Dog is Not Only Man's Best Friend **_(For Layloo)_

**Chapter 1** - All you get

Human race had once again made progress with their knowledge of the stars. Already they had explored all of the planets in their solar system and categorized all of the ones in their galaxy. But the discovery they had made this time, thanks to a lost satellite that was believed to never respond, was the most awe-inspiring sight to have in one's memories. When the lost traveler sprung to life after some years of deep slumber, it instantly began taking pictures, to send them back to Earth. There was many, but one picture in particular, first appearing to be like the rest, was, when looked at closely, showing the familiar shadow of a planet that could be seen in one corner of the image.

The scientists at the NASA base did their best to try and a send orders to their satellite to return. The machine never responded. So they gave up on the idea of getting their precious construction back. At the very least they were still receiving pictures from a new and unexplored part of the universe. The photographs were sent to the best institutions for only the most experienced teachers and researchers to look at; but even secrecy didn't keep a few students from knowing.

When information of the still-presumed-dead satellite leaked out of the walls of any university, FBI agents were quick to quiet any and all whispers from those who should not have known of the information in the first place. NASA never reported the new file that had opened up in the deepest of their offices, the knowledge that could be acquired from the photographs had to be kept top secret from the start. It would be impossible to know until each and every picture was scrutinized to the last detail and seen from every angle, including X-Ray. The rest of the population would never know until it was certain that nothing of apparent importance was recorded. Not even the President knew.

But there was one student that never spoke up, never told the rest of the discoveries. His name was James Gilbert and his teacher, Dr. Edward Samuel Fisher, was the one to invite him one day to help him study the images. James was a particularly good student with an out-going attitude, even if he was a bit on the day-dreaming side. Dr. Fisher always wondered how he managed to get everything done correctly when he normally slept or looked into the distance during class. But as long as he had good notes, who was he to complain? What impressed him the most was, after weeks of staring at apparently nothing but some clusters of stars derived from the photographs of a broken satellite, it was James who finally found something of interest.

''Doctor, come see this!'' He called, never taking his eyes off of the picture, afraid his discovery would fade away if he did. The teacher got up from across the laboratory and walked over to his student. Even after class, when everybody had went home, the science room was always a difficult passageway to cross. Chairs were hallway across the room from were they originally sat, pushed away by hurried students rushing to their next class after hearing the bell, while a few notebooks were left forgotten on counters with lab equipment that should have been stowed away.

''What did you find James?'' Unlike other teachers, Dr. Fisher never liked calling his students by their last names; it sounded too formal.

On the computer image, increased in size by many levels, in one small corner was a rounded shadow flashing off a croissant of light opposite to the satellite's angle when the picture was taken. ''That's as close as I can get,'' had said James while trying to get the computer to display a better picture. Even when the image was turned on its side, it was difficult to see what was there. But both the student and his mentor knew what it was from the start.

''Son,'' Fisher started, ''I believe you have just made the discovery of the century.''

0o0o0o0

Colonel Franklin Tyler walked quickly down the many corridors of the secret NASA base owned and operated by a branch of the American military. Behind him were two of his best soldiers, First Lieutenant Serge McConnell and Lieutenant Darren Helter. McConnell was an immigrant from India at the age of ten, and studied in astrophysics in university, but joined the army afterwards, for reasons still unknown. The Colonel was glad to have him by his side. The dark skinned man walking just beside the First Lieutenant had been with the military from the age of 16, his rebellious and unpredictable nature quickly tamed to make Darren an eager soldier with cunning instincts. When fighting he had proven himself as a difficult opponent to counter-attack, thanks to his ever-changing fighting patterns. As for the aging man respected as Colonel, his graying hair and tightened face loosening somewhat indicated he was soon to retire. But not today.

Pressing matters were to be attended to, with the sudden awakening of the SELLEN-341 satellite and the unidentified quadrant in which it was, much of the activity at the base had suddenly increased tenfold, people racing from one place to an other trying to gather as much information as possible. The three military men walked in a room at one of the farthest corridors of the NASA base. Two men, dressed in civilian clothing were showing some of the pictures to a few scientists gathered around a table, some nodding approvingly to the information they were hearing, while others took notes. The Colonel and his Lieutenant waited patiently by the door, sitting in the available seats that were placed neatly along the wall, taking in what they could of the information about a presumably 'metal planet'.

''As we can see right here,'' the younger man was saying, ''we can clearly distinguish the shape of elevated figures, almost like gigantic sky-scrappers.''

''Excuse me, but first, it would be impossible to have a physical part of the planet going further than the thermosphere, and second, what makes you believe those are constructed establishments? The quality of these photographs suggests that this could just be light reflected off of the planet in streams, and that would be what SELLEN caught on its images.'' One of the scientists said, a bit unbelieving of the student's theory.

''I'm not saying that's what it is, but what I think it could be.'' spoke the brown-haired man, somewhat irritated by the scientist. The sound of someone clearing his throat stopped the potential conflict, and all eyes turned to Colonel Tyler.

''If you don't mind my interruption, I am here to suggest a possible compromise to our problems.'' He paused, letting the few people recollect themselves. The viewing screen was turned off and Lieutenant McConnell handed his superior a document that had been kept at his side the whole time. Tyler sat down and opened the document. It contained many files, mostly regarding analysis previously made of the photographs. One was about the exact times the pictures were sent and when SELLEN-341 stopped functioning and went back in stasis-lock. That was about three days ago.

During that time, Dr. Fisher had announced the discovery of the planet his student had made by calling the NASA base. The person on the other line was rather angry at the teacher upon learning that a student had been accessing the files freely. But the planet became a more important matter. James and Edward were quickly fetched and brought here under stick order, and nobody outside the military, the NASA scientists and the duo knew why they had left the university for the weeks to come. The people working on the project then knew what they had to do. Due to the extremely alien appearance of the planet, with the clearly visible white tower-like structures reaching so high it would pierce through any gas layer and continue on to space, the scientists were debating whether or not this was an affect of the sun's reflection or monuments.

Everyone agreed the planet was made of metal, or at least to some extent. That, in the least united all of the different minds into wanting to explore this new world. The problem was that announcing the discovery to the public would be risky, and people would be suspicious of the NASA's intentions. The population would not be willing to pay extra taxes to pay for a project that would send an other satellite into deep space to take more pictures and confirm the scientists' theory of a planet being there. Everyone knew there were planets all over the universe, so why pay for a reconnaissance mission for just this one? But the public couldn't know of the metallic nature of the sphere, and so, the military and base residents had to come up with an other way to indulge the people into paying for the project.

''We won't send an other satellite.'' Calmly spoke the Colonel. ''Instead, it will be a shuttle, containing the best-trained astronauts of the world.

''Sir, you know just as well as we all do how people react to long periods of time in space with the same companions, remember what happened to the crew of the F476?''

''I remember all too well, thank you. But this is something we have to do. Who knows what lies on the surface of this planet? We knew samples, pictures, and an alien if it comes to the point! All we have to do is tell the people that were sending astronauts outside our galaxy and money will pour right into our hands.''

''People just can't be sent that far Colonel. Not yet. We don't have the technology.''

''Then what do you suggest we do? We're all out of monkeys with their minds still in their right place, so if you have an idea, speak up!'' Everyone was silent, only the heavy breathing of the frustrated Colonel could be heard. He wasn't prone to anger quickly, but having been harassed with questions and stupid ideas since day one, he was starting to get on his last nerves. Suddenly, James spoke up.

''What about dogs?'' Everyone stared in his direction, some confused and others trying their best to hold off fits of laughter. ''Yeah, dogs,'' he continued, ''wasn't it man's best friend that were first sent into space? They always completed their mission well enough if the shuttle didn't explode.''

''Dogs were never asked to learn quantum physics and collect samples from alien worlds, kid.'' The First Lieutenant said.

''I say we continue this discussion tomorrow, let us collect ourselves and see if there isn't an option we missed.'' The Colonel spoke more coolly than before. ''Until then gentlemen.''

He got up and walked out the door, quickly followed by Helter and McConnell, who gathered all the files up before jogging back to his superior. The two civilians retreated to their temporary quarters for the night. A few scientists stayed behind for some more work, and the only sound that could be heard throughout the base was the janitor waxing the floors.

0o0o0o0

After two weeks of heated discussions, tiring meetings and uncooperative partners, a decision was finally made about what to do with the newly-discovered planet. First, the public had to know something happened. Only the pictures without the planet would be distributed. Then, the military and scientists would deny any possible comeback of SELLEN, if there even wasn't any chance of one, and they would tell the public that there was a planet, and that they would send a team of two dogs to see if it would be possible for humans to try after.

Anti-Animal Cruelty campaigns soon roared up their opinions, but by some power, they were soon hushed. The rest of the Earth's inhabitants were a bit baffled that there would be interest in just an other planet, so the scientist lied that there was possibly new kinds of metals to be found there. It wasn't completely a lie. They gave the pictures of a less-known planet of their own galaxy saying this was the planet they would send the dogs to. It was dull and lifeless, bluish in color when light reflected on it, but except for that, there wasn't much to go on to. And that suited the people just fine.

James and Dr. Fisher were admitted with open arms to work full time at the still-secret NASA base hiding somewhere in the mountains. The shuttle launch would be done elsewhere of course. The student was granted his astronomical diplomas and permitted to almost every facility on the base. He and his teacher were now in charge of finding suitable candidates for the mission, since it was the graduated student who had came up with the idea.

Two more university teachers had found information on which of the quadrants of the universe, compared to their galaxy, was the planet. They too were admitted in the NASA base. From the first university came a rather aged woman, hair tied in a bun with an even more severe look on her face than that of the Colonel's when he was still in his fifties. Her name was Gabrielle Whitman, not soft-spoken in the least and very demanding when it came to her accommodations.

From the second university came a young-looking teacher, probably in his early thirties, whose name was Richard Galley. With him came his own student, Maria Carver, who had also helped after class to try and find information from the photographs. She was about a year or so younger than James, but she too received her diplomas before time. All five had their own rooms down the same corridor in the base's habitation and recreation area. It had been some time now that the civilians were on base, and so far the search for the perfect candidates via internet wasn't as good a hunt as hoped. Maria joined Dr. Fisher and his student, but even with the help, progress was slow.

On a particularly warm day, James decided he had had enough and preferred going outside to take the day off. Edward also had enough of the artificial lights and stuffy air in which they had lived for some time now, and joined his student for a walk up one of the mountains surrounding the base. They weren't exceptionally high, large if something, and bare from the dry heat of the desert. Not many trees grew in the region, and this made the ground crack as the animals few, with the random rattlesnake warning enemies every now and then.

The duo received clearance to leave for the day, and with a backpack filled with water bottles, lunch and a first aid kit, they began the difficult task of climbing an uncharted mountain. The only humans to ever go up there were the patrols, who used the roads with their vehicles, situated on the other side of the large result of the American tectonic shift that happened millions of years ago. Nature was always so perfect for anyone or anything that needed it. That made James realize how desolate and unforgiving the other planets were, and how much more different the 'metal planet' would be. Of course, he would never go there, but what about the generations to come? And the dogs? How different from Earth would it all be?

''We're here.'' Announced Dr. Fisher, panting. It had taken them all morning and a majority of the afternoon to climb up to the top. James shook himself from his reverie and looked down below. The many buildings were shinning in the sun's rays, reflecting them like painful arrows shot straight at the eyes. He could see the residential building seated far to the south-west while the main establishment took most of the center and north of the valley. Some more buildings were set here and there on the base, all of the ground covered with asphalt, helicopters parked neatly on the East, closest the mountain the duo had just reach the top of. There were also many jeeps resting in a well-arranged line by the building's side. One of them had been offered to the doctor and himself to use, but they had answered that the fresh air and exercise would do them good. Then, James thought about why he was here.

''Hey, Dr.?''

''You can call me Edward or Ed now, we're not in school anymore.'' He responded in as-a-matter-of-facts gesture. Shrugging, James got on with his question. It had been burning in the back of his mind for quite some time now.

''Ed then, why did you let me help you with this secret project? You knew it was forbidden from anyone else right?''

''Yes I did,'' he started after a moment of thinking, ''But you, of all students I had ever had, was the only one capable of sleeping through all of his classes and still get an average of 85. How is that? I think you're gifted, and you should cherish your talents. So I let you in on the NASA's project, figuring you wouldn't need the night to sleep anyhow, and gave you a chance at a great future. And look were you are now.''

Sensing no need to continue the conversation, James nodded his head and stood up, followed by his teacher and mentor, and the two began to descent the mountain in mutual silence. Upon arriving at the base, they were urged to the command center by First Lieutenant McConnell who had been waiting for them. Not understanding, they simply followed him, his quick pace tiring them, having already walked up and down an entire mountain. In the head quarters, most of the scientists had already gathered, with Maria, Richard and Gabrielle, all looking up at the large view screen taking up most of the farthest wall of the room, littered with rows upon rows of computers and monitors, all facing the screen. On it, two pictures were seen. One was of the planet, seen from up close and facing the sun, with meant SELLEN had its back to it, and an other, rather shadowy, of a large figure covering up most of the image.

The graduate student rushed down the small bridge that over-looked the room to get a better view. He heard someone say those were the only to pictures transmitted, not even a few minutes ago, before the signal was cut off, and no news of the satellite reached the base since. On the first image, James could clearly see the many towers and building sprouted out of the planet's surface like trees in a forest, only a few parts of the surface being empty of anything, only smooth metal stretched out across on possibly hundreds of miles. There was no denying it now. It was inhabited by something. The second photograph was hard to figure out. There was something blocking the satellite's way, nothing like rocks or dust or even debris, but something mechanical. The only thing that told James that it was the object's nature were some wires visible in between two large black plates. They were probably an other color, shaded by the satellite's size.

''The public can not be informed about this!'' the Colonel barked loud enough for everyone to hear. Silent murmurs of agreement could be heard all over the room. Whatever this was, it was more than time to figure it out. The project was now officially started.

(End (of chapter))

A/N: This story will be continued! Just, it's that...I'm going to need a lot of time to update. I didn't start this with happy thoughts, even less with a plan. But the second chapter should appear within this month!

-Ka


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